causes of the revolution Flashcards
1
Q
Short term
A
- Economic slump led to high unemployment rates and anger across the working classes
- Russia had expected an easy victory to raise morale, embarrassed to lose to a ‘second rate power’. Russia sent out a fleet which sailed for 6 months, it was shot down by Japanese forces under an hour
- Middle class were angry that the Tsar would not share his power
- People blamed the Tsar personally for losing the war against Japan, conditions in towns deteriorated bringing the workers to breaking point
- Nationwide food shortages due to the war effort
- Government policies to develop industry, such as high taxation, had disastrous effects on the people.
2
Q
Long term
A
- Peasants were dissatisfied with living conditions and how land was divided up
- Poor working conditions, workers wanted higher wages and shorter hours
- Tsar never visited farms or factories, he had little understanding of their conditions
- Poor harvests in 1900 and 1902, resulted in starvation and attacks on landowners
- Peasants had to make redemption payments over 40 years
3
Q
Immediate term
A
22nd January 1905 Father Gapon led 3,000 protesters to the Winter Palace in Petrograd to deliver the Tsar a petition asking for a reform and also to protest the poor living conditions. The Tsar used 10,000 Cossack soldiers to guard the gate, when the protesters advanced, the Cossacks opened fire, 1000 people died
